Slide buckle



Feb. 20, 1951 J. MILLER ET AL SLIDE BUCKLE Filed July 9, 1945 INVENTORS:JOSHUA MILLER BY JAMES T. TRU ELSEN AITORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1951SLIDE BUCKLE Joshua Miller, Drexel Hill, and James T. Truelsen,

United States Navy, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application July 9, 1945, Serial No. 603,998

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 2 Claims.

, This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fasteningdevices, and more particularly, to adjustable fastening devices of thebuckle, hook and ring type for use with belts, straps, webbing and thelike.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelfastening device of the stated type that may be readily adjustedlengthwise of an associated web or strap and is operable toautomatically look upon the web or strap in the position to whichadjusted when said strap is placed under tension.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel fastening deviceof the character de scribed which is constructed and arranged so thatthe greater the tension or pull placed upon the associated web or strap,the tighter will be the clamping or gripping force exerted by the deviceupon the web or strap. A further object of the invention is to providenovel fastening devices having the features and advantages describedwhich are of relatively rugged, simplified construction, relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and entirely efficient and reliable in use.

These and other objects of the invention, and the various features anddetails of the construction and operation thereof, are hereinafter fullyset forth. and described with reference to the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a buckle fastener embodying thepresent invention having associated therewith a suitable strap or beltwhich is shown partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22, Fig. 1, the strap or belthaving been removed;

Fig. 3 is a section view of an alternative construction embodyingthepresent invention;

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a hook fastener embodying the presentinvention shown in conjunction with a suitable belt or strap andcomplementary ring assembly, the strap being partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective showing a ring construction embodyingthe present invention with. the strap partly broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a modified form of buckle fastenerembodying the present invention with the straps removed.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2thereof, reference numeral generally designates a, buckle type fastenermade according to the present invention. The buckle I comprises an open,generally rectangular or square, frame 2 having integral side and endportions 3 and 4, 5 and 6, respectively, which define or boundtherewithin an opening or eye l likewise of rectangular or square shape.It is to be noted that the end portion 5 of the frame 2 is substantiallythicker than the other end and side portions thereof, and that said endportion 6 is arranged to provide an offset or projecting portion at theunderside of the buckle as indicated at 8.

Slidably mounted upon the side portions 3 and 4 of the frame 2 formovement within the eye a between the frame end portions 5 and 6, is afriction grip mcmber generally designated as 9. As shown, the face orsurface it of the friction member 9 is substantially flat and parallelto the inner surface of the adjacent frame end wall portion 6, and maybe knurled or otherwise provided with a roughened surface I 0' forbetter frictional engagement with an associated strap or belt ashereinafter described. From the upper edge of the flat surface portionIt! the configuration of the friction member 9 is such that the surfacecurves inwardly and then downward- 1y, as indicated at i I and thendeclines forwardly in a substantially fiat surface portion 2 to meet asubstantially flat bottom or lower surface it, the corner edges of thelatter being rounded into the flat surface portions it and Has shown.

To facilitate mounting of the friction member 9 upon the frame 2, thesaid member 9, for example, may be fabricated in a single piece with itsend portions suitably contoured so that when the frame is free of allwebs or straps and the member is positioned diagonally of the frame, theends of the member may clear the frame to thereby completely disengagesaid member therefrom. For this purpose the lugs 9' which are locatedbelow the side frame members 3 and 4 may be rearwardly bevelled as shownin Fig. 1. If preferred the friction member may be fabricated in twoparts constructed and arranged as shown in Fig. 3, and suitably securedtogether, for example, by means of rivets I4. It is to be noted that thefriction member 9 projects above the plane of the upper surface of theframe 2, and also projects below the lower surface thereof substantiallyto the level of, or coplanar with, the under surface of the offset orprojection 3 of the frame end portion 6. recesses I5 and it are providedin the ends of the friction member 9 to slidably receive the frame sideportions 3 and 4, and the recesses 55 and I6 are made slightly largerthan said frame side portions to permit of limited rocking movement ofsaid friction member Q relative tothe frame 2.

The buckle I, constructed as herein described,

Cut-out portions or may be employed effectively to securely connect orfasten together either the opposite ends of the same strap or belt, orthe adjacent ends of two straps or belts, as the case may be. This maybe accomplished by permanently securing one strap end ii to the buckle iabout the end portion 5 thereof, for example, by passing the said strapend about the frame end portion 5, and then stitching or otherwisesecuring the freev end to the strap proper as indicated at l8. The otherstrap end portion i9 is adjustably connected to said buckle by passingthe same: beneath the frame 2 upwardly through the eye 1 thereof andbetween the end portion 5 and friction member 9, then over the latterand reversely through the said eye 1 between the friction member 9 andthe frame portion 6, then outwardly beneath the latter with. the freeend thereof disposed in the relation shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Ifdesired, the end of said strap portion 20 may be folded upon itself onceor twice and stitched as indicated to provide a stop 2! to preventcomplete disengagement of the strap end portion from the buckle I.

With the buckle l and associated strap end portions arranged as shownand described, slack in the strap or straps may be taken up: and thestrap or straps tightened to the desired degree merely by grasping thefree end 26 of the strap portion l9 and pulling the same through thebuckle I. As the strap or straps are placed under tension, the frictionmember 9 is caused to clamp or grip the strap between itself and theframe end portion 6, with increasing pressure, and the offset 8 of thelatter is caused to bite increasingly into the strap with the resultthat it is securely and tightly held in the position to which tightenedor tensioned. In other words, the greater the tension placed upon thestraps or strap by pulling upon the free end 20 thereof, the tighterwill be the clamping or gripping action of the buckle upon the strap,and the construction and arrangement of the buckle is such that, oncetensioned to the desired degree, the straps will not work loose untilreleased.

The buckle may be released and the strap or straps loosened when desiredor required merely by a person engaging his fingers under the endportion ii of the frame 2 and actuating or rocking the latter in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. l to thereby release the biteand gripping force of the offset 8 and friction memher 9, respectively,upon the strap. Loosened in this manner, the strap or straps may againbe readily and easily retightened to the desired tension merely bypulling upon the free end 2! of the strap l9 to cause the buckle to gripand hold the same in the manner previously described.

In lieu of the buckle l, and referreng to Fig. 4 of the drawing, theinvention may be embodied in a hook type fastener 22 for connection, forexample, to a ring fitting 23 having permanently secured thereon an endof a strap or belt 2 2. Such ahook fastener, may comprise a suitablehook construction 25 having at its base a generally rectangular orsquare frame 26 including side and end frame portions 2? and 28', and 2sand 35, respectively, which define or bound therewithin a generallyrectangular or square. eye or opening 3i. It is to be noted that the endportion 3! of the frame 26 is constructed as hereinbefore described toprovide an offset or projection 32 at the underside thereof as in thecase of the buckle i, and that likewise there is slidably mounted uponthe side frame portions 21 and 28 of said frame26, a friction member 33which is constructed and arranged as shown and previously describedherein.

As shown in Fig. 4, the end porition 34, either of the strap 2i, or ofanother strap, is adjustably connected to the hook fastener 22 in thesame manner and relation as described in connection with the buckle lshown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the said strap portion 34 being passedbeneath the frame 26 and upwardly through the eye 3| between the frameend portion 29 and the friction. member 335,. over the latter andreversely through the eye 3| between member 33 and the frame end portion30, then outwardly beneath the latter with the free end 35 thereofdisposed in the relation shown.

Instead of providing? the hook fastener with adjustable belt or strapfastening means as described, the construction of the present inventionmay be embodied in a ring assembly for connection with a suitable hookor other form of fastener of conventional type. Thus, and referring toFig. 5 of the drawing, there may be provided a ring structure designatedgenerally as 36 comprising a loop portion 3'! and a frame portion 33including integral side and end portions 39 and til, and ii and 42,respectively, which deor bound therewithin a generally rectangular orsquare opening or eye 43. Asv in the case of the buckle l and the hookfastener 25, the end portion 42 of the frame 38 is constructed toprovide an offset or projection 44 at the under- Side thereof asindicated, and there is slidably mounted upon the side. frame portions39 and 40', a friction member 45 identical in construction to thefriction member 9 previously described herein. In this instance, as in.each of the foregoing, the end portion of a. strap or belt 4'6 is passedbeneath the frame 38 and upwardly through the eye 43 between the. frameend portion t! and the friction member 45, over the latter and reverselythrough the eye 4| between the friction member 45 and the frame endportion- 42, then outwardly beneath the latter, with the free end 41thereof. disposed in the relation shown.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, there is illustrated a modified form of thebuckle of Fig. 1, which comprises a frame 48 including side and endportions 39 and 59, and 5! and 52, respectively, and having a cross-barportion 53 spaced intermediate the end portions thereof to sub-dividethe frame into a pair of adjacent openings or eyes 54 and 55-,respectively. This modified form of buckle, as in the case of the bucklel, is provided with a friction member 56 that is slidably mounted uponthe frame side. portions 9 and 5D for movement within the eye 55 inparallel relation to the frame end portion 52, the latter being providedwith an offset or projecting portion 57 as previously described herein.Furthermore, if required or desired, the buckle shown in Fig. 6 may alsobe provided with a second friction member 58 slidably mounted upon theframe side portions t9 and 59 for movement Within the eye 54 in parallelrelation to the frame end portion 51, the latter in such event beingprovided with an offset or projecting portion 59.

Fastening devices constructed as herein illustrated and described, maybe used advantageously in most cases where it is desired to provideadjustable fasteners for belts, straps, webbing and the like, such as,for example, in parachute harnesses, luggage straps, ship stays andbraces, apparel belts, suspenders and shoulder straps, and numerousother instances'too numerous to mention herein. I

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present inventionprovides a novel fastening device that may be readily adjustedlengthwise of an associated web or strap and which is operableautomatically to lock upon the web or strap in the position to whichadjusted when said strap is placed under tension. The invention alsoprovides a novel fastening device of the character described which isconstructed and arranged so that the greater the tension or pull placedupon the associated. web or strap, the tighter will be the clamping orgripping force exerted by the device upon the web or strap, Furthermore,the invention provides a fastening device, having the features andadvantages described, which is of rugged, relatively simplified,construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and entirelyefficient and reliable in use.

While certain embodiments of the invention I are illustrated anddescribed herein, it is not intended that the present invention belimited to such disclosures, and changes and modifications may be madetherein and thereto within the scope of the claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

We claim:

1. A slide buckle for straps comprising a substantially rectangularframe having parallel side and end members lying in a. common plane anddefining an opening therebetween, one of said end members being thickerthan said side members and the other end member in a direction normal tosaid plane and having a portion thereof projecting beyond said plane andpresenting a surface which extends across the frame and is substantiallyparallel to said common plane, said thicker member also presenting aflat surface facing inwardly toward said opening and locatedsubstantially normal to said plane, and a friction member having an axisextending parallel to said end members and provided with opposite endportions slidably engaging said side members, the friction member havinga portion thereof presenting a surface located substantially inalignment with said surface of said projecting portion of said thickerend member and having another portion presenting a substantially flatgripping surface extending substantially parallel to and adjacent theinwardly facing surface of said thicker end member, the surfaces of thefriction member lying adjacent opposite edges of said gripping surfacebeing convexly rounded and extending parallel to said axis.

2. The combination comprising two straps and means for adjustablysecuring said straps together, said adjusting means embodying arectangular frame with side and end members lying in a single plane anddefining an opening therebetween, one of said straps being fixedlysecured to one of said end members, the other end member being thickerin a direction normal to said plane than are said sides and the endmember to which said strap is secured, said thicker end member having aportion projecting from said plane and presenting a flat surfaceextending across the frame parallel to said plane, said thicker endmember also presenting a surface facing inward toward said opening andlocated substantially toward said opening, and a friction memberextending between said side members and having an axis parallel to thethicker end member, said friction member being slidably movable by theother strap along the s;de members toward and away from said thicker endmember, said friction member having a surface thereof in substantialalignment with the flat surface of the projecting portion of saidthicker end member and having a gripping surface thereon substantiailyparallel to and cooperating with said inwardly facing surface of thethicker end member for gripping the other of said straps therebetween,the surfaces of the friction member lying adjacent opposite edges ofsaid gripping surface being convexly rounded and extending parallel tosaid axis, the said other strap having a lead-in portion extendingtoward said frame past the flat surface of the projecting portion of thethickened end member and about the convexly rounded surface of thefriction mem ber and thence passing between the cooperating grippingsurfaces on the friction member and the thickened end member, the latterstrap terminating in an end portion which extends away from the framebetween said lead-in portion of the strap and the flat surface ofthe'projecting portion of the thicker end member.

JOSHUA MILLER. JAMES T. TRUELSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

